Against All Odds
by A.L. Cullen
Summary: Gwaine and Merlin are in love, but nothing ever goes according to plan...this is the story of their fight to be together despite the challenges they face. Warnings: Bad Arthur, Slash M/M, Gwaine/Merlin, MPREG. Don't like don't read, I suck at summery's, so please just give it a chance!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I was watching clips from Eye of the Pheonix on youtube and when I saw Gwaine hug Merlin I just had to do this. Don't worry I am still an Arthur/Merlin shipper I just could resist. **

**Warnings: Male/Male don't like don't read! Arthur is very OOC in this thing and obviously it's Gwaine/Merlin.**

I heard the door creak open and Arthur rolled into the room followed by Gwaine. I couldn't keep the smile off of my face as Gwaine walked over to me.

"Still alive then Merlin." Arthur called as he clapped me on my shoulder and heading to the Fisher king.

Gwaine moved over to me, and with a smile pulled me into a hug. I pulled back and looked him in the eye. "Thank you love, I was starting to think that Arthur would never get that door open." I teased.

"Please, I would never let him fail….especially when your life is on the line." He replied, brushing the back of his hand over my cheek. "I love you Merlin." He murmured sweetly.

"And I you." I replied.

I kissed him then, my arms locking around his neck as his own arms secured themselves around my waist.

We didn't hear Arthur return until he cleared his throat. We pulled apart quickly, and I felt my face flood with heat. "Can we help you princess?" Gwaine asked sweetly.

Arthur glared at him, "Yes you can remove your hands from my servant and leave so we can go home."

"Arthur stop it. Don't take your frustration out on Gwaine. You had a chance and you blew it, if you can't handle that then that's your own problem!" I shouted.

I felt a sting flare across my face when Arthurs hand came in contact with it. "How dare you!" Gwaine shouted lunging for Arthur. I held him back.

"Stop! Don't make it worse, it's not worth it." I sighed forcing Gwaine to look at me. "Let's just go home." I concluded with a kiss.

Gwaine nodded stiffly sending one last glare at Arthur before rolling under the door. I followed him quickly. Gwaine helped me up and we quickly made our way out of the crypt. We mounted our horses just as Arthur emerged.

I saw the anger in Arthur's eyes and spurred my horse forward. I heard Gwaine curse before galloping after me. I felt the tears in my eyes spill over and soon I was riding blind. My horse stumbled and I flew off onto the soft meadow grass below. I threw my kerchief off onto the grass to stop the choking feeling from overtaking me.

I heard a horse skid to a stop and in moments Gwaine was next to me. "Are you alright Merlin?"

I nodded. "I'm not hurt."

I pulled Gwaine closer to me and kissed him. When we broke apart Gwaine brushed his fingers over the bruise that had already formed on my cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him." Gwaine sighed, his gaze locked with my own.

"It's not your fault. I just don't understand why he can't just let me be happy." I explained the tears from earlier making another appearance.

Gwaine brushed my fallen tears away with his thumbs, "I don't understand it either Merlin." He sighed "All I know is that I love you more than anything else in my life Merlin, and no one is going to keep me away from you."

I kissed him firmly on the mouth, my hands threading through his beautiful hair deepening the kiss. Gwaine's hands ran down my back before slowly moving up my shirt. I moaned into his mouth.

I flopped back onto the grass beneath me and pulled Gwaine with me as our kiss heated up. Gwaine broke away only to leave a trail of kisses down my jaw and neck before coming to rest on my exposed collarbone. I gasped as Gwaine started to use his teeth on my overheated flesh, the feeling going straight to my groin.

( CONTENT REMOVED TO FIT FANFICTION GUIDELINES: The unedited version of this can be found on Ao3 under the same name published by Johnlock _ TheWhipHand)

Gwaine kissed me gently as I came down from my high, His hand brushing my hair out of my face. "I love you Gwaine." I sighed my fingers running through his now mussed hair.

"Not nearly as much as I love you Merlin." He replied as he re-laced my pants.

I pulled him up for another kiss when he was done. We pulled apart slowly. "We should get going, it will be dark soon." I sighed sadly.

Gwaine kissed me once more before standing and offering me his hand. I gladly accepted it and stood. I turned to go back to my horse that had stopped where I was thrown, before I could go far Gwaine pulled me back. "Merlin, may I ask you something?" he asked his eyes glued to my own.

"Of course, you know that you can ask me anything."

Gwaine knelt down on one knee and looked up at me. "Merlin I promise too love you forever, will you marry me?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" I cried with joy. Gwaine stood quickly and kissed me. We broke apart when we heard a horse galloping away as we stared after Arthur's retreating form. "How long has he been there?" I asked pressing against Gwaine, his arms tightening around me.

"I don't think we want to know." He sighed. "Let's go we are going to need to face him sooner or later."

I nodded and we mounted our horses. We shared one last glance before we galloped off to face Arthur.

…

When we reached the castle it was well after dark so Gwaine and I decided to just go to our room for the night and talk to Arthur in the morning. We crawled into our bed and were on the verge of sleep when a loud pounding started on the door. With a sigh Gwaine and I stood and went to let Arthur in.

When the door opened Arthur flew in his face red and contorted with rage. Gwaine shut the door and I found myself sheltered between him and said door. "Say what you came to say Arthur." Gwaine commanded gently.

"You are forbidden to marry! And you are hence forth banished from Camelot." He told Gwaine.

"Never!" I shouted as I lunged at Arthur only to be stopped by Gwaine. "You cannot do this Arthur, I will not let you! If you force Gwaine to leave you banish me as well!"

"No Merlin you have not been dismissed you cannot leave without my permission." He replied coldly.

"I dismiss myself, Do not force me to stay here, I will not survive without Gwaine." I seethed.

"Don't be so dramatic Merlin! You will do as you are told. Now Gwaine am I going to have to call the guards or will you leave quietly?"

"No need to call the guards Arthur I will go quietly if I can have a moment to say goodbye to Merlin."

I gaped at him speechless as Arthur gave his consent. Gwaine placed his hands on the side of my face and forced me to look at him. "I love you Merlin, I will be back for you do not doubt it. I need you to fight for me, don't give up hope." He murmured so Arthur couldn't hear him.

"I don't think I can do this Gwaine, we could be apart for months, I have trouble breathing when I'm not with you, how is this going to work." I whispered harshly my eyes filling with tears.

"Do you remember what I asked you in the meadow?"

"Of course, you asked me to marry you."

"And that is a promise of my love and devotion. I will find a way out of this Merlin you must believe me, I will be back for you I promise. Do you trust me?"

"Yes of course I do." I replied my hands brushing into his hair.

"Then you must fight for us, it will be hard but you must try."

"I will." I replied kissing him.

We deepened our kiss, as our bodies glued themselves together. "Alright that's enough Gwaine leave now or I will have you executed."

"Yes sire." Gwaine said bowing to Arthur before locking eyes with me and leaving.

I felt my heart break and I pushed past Arthur running to the quarters Gaius and I used to share. I looked out of one of the windows just in time to see Gwaine riding away into the darkness.

Gaius held me closely as I cried, "Why is he doing this to me Gaius?" I sobbed.

"I don't know Merlin, I wish I had the power to stop this but I don't and for that I am so terribly sorry." Gaius replied.

I soon cried myself into a fitful sleep.

…

A month had passed and I was still stuck in Camelot and to make matters worse I was so stressed by my imprisonment that I was chronically sick I couldn't keep anything down and sleep just wouldn't come to me.

Arthur worked me till I was on the verge of collapse in some form of sick punishment for loving someone.

"Merlin you must eat, you are even skinnier than you already were and that isn't good Merlin, you are killing yourself." Gaius begged.

I tried to eat but in a matter of minutes I was revisiting what I had just swallowed over the chamber pot. Gaius handed me a rag, and I cleaned myself up. I excused myself and went to my room where I fell face first into my bed, and quickly fell asleep not even bothering to change out of my work clothes.

…

The next morning I woke up to a commotion out in the main room and before I could move to investigate it My door flew open and Arthur stormed into my room "You lazy oaf get up." He shouted before rolling me out of my bed.

I saw red, "You no good son of a bitch don't you dare touch me!" I screamed at him.

"How dare you talk to me this way?" Arthur replied harshly.

"How dare I? I don't know Arthur how would I get the balls to call you such a fitting name! Oh yes I remember you banished the man I love and have imprisoned me here and forced me to work like a dog! You are pathetic!"

I felt Arthur slap me before I stumbled to the side. I lunged at him but never made it to my target as darkness overwhelmed me and I collapsed.


	2. Chapter 2

When I came too I saw Gaius looking into my eyes and Arthur was nowhere to be found.

"He's gone Merlin. Uther had him removed so I could treat you."

"What happened?"

"You collapsed. I cast some spells to try to figure out what it was and I think I may have found the reason for all of your ills."

"Let me guess his name is Arthur Pendragon." I teased.

"No Merlin….I'm not sure how to tell you this."

"It can't be that bad Gaius, just tell me."

"You are with child."

I just gaped at him, my mouth hanging open. "W-Wh-What?"

"Merlin you're pregnant with Gwaine's child."

"What am I going to do? And how is this possible?" I gasped

"You need to do your best to eat you are much too skinny, your baby could die. And it's your magic that makes this possible Merlin. Does Gwaine know your secret?"

"Yes he does. "

"Good then this won't be too big of a shock for him. I will tell Uther that you are gravely ill, we will keep you here as long as possible and stall Arthur, because you need to rest if you have any chance of delivering this child. Oh and while you were asleep I went through one of my old books, and found something that may be of use to you." He explained handing me a scrap of paper "It's a spell to communicate over long distances I'd quite forgotten about the book until I found out why you were sick, you must use it at night though, we can't chance someone walking in on you using it."

I nodded my mind buzzing with everything I had just been told. I went back to bed early that night and after Gaius had fallen asleep I pulled out the scrap of paper and, focused all of my energy into the spell as I said the words and it worked. I formed two orbs of light and one flew through the wall and in moments I saw Gwaine in my ball of light and sobbed. Gwaine sat up quickly and looked right into the light. "Merlin? Please tell me that this isn't a dream."

"No my love it's not. It's real." I explained my tears spilling over. "Gods I miss you so much, but there is something I need to tell you."

"Tell me love, what's wrong….well besides the obvious."

"Gwaine I had a little incident with Arthur today don't ask I'm not explaining it now but I have been really sick so I apparently collapsed before I could attack him, I'm ok now Gwaine…please wait and let me finish. Gaius ran some tests and he told me that I'm with child."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant with our child, Gwaine, it had to of happened right before we went to help Arthur, you know... in the tent."

"Oh my love, I have to get you out of there, you look so sick."

"I feel it, but how are you going to do that love I don't even know where you are?"

"I am in Ealdor, your mother and I have come up with a plan. There is a hunt next week and knowing Arthur he will make you go with him as usual but he won't put you on a horse. I will go to Camelot and hide in the forests by the gate and wait for the hunt to go past. I will hide my horse at a nearby farm and you and I can run when no one is looking. If we need to we can use magic to help us escape but I don't want to use that unless we have too."

"That won't work love Gaius has lied to the king about the seriousness of my condition, Arthur will not be taking me on the hunt if he goes at all."

"Damn it all to hell. There has to be something we can do."

"I could use magic to escape but if I do I will put Gaius at risk and I don't want to do that either."

"No we don't want to do that and Gaius wouldn't want to run either. What about Uther couldn't Gaius explain what's going on….never mind your magic is the reason for it and we know that would only get you burnt at the stake." Gwaine said with a shudder.

I felt the snack I had eaten earlier protesting, "Gwaine, I'll be right back." I choked out before running to the chamber pot in the corner. I cleaned my mouth off quickly and returned to sit on my bed. "I'm sorry you had to see that, I can't keep anything down for long, I don't know what I'm going to do to gain weight."

Gwaine wiped tears off of his cheeks, "I'm so sorry love, and I wish I could hold you and help you. I never should have left without you; we never should have gone back." He sighed.

"Don't, don't do that to yourself it's over now we can't change it, we just have to figure out what to do. "

"I'm coming back."

"No Gwaine you can't!"

"I will come back in disguise, but I am coming back, I won't let you be alone anymore."

"Gwaine what if you get caught, then you'll be killed and I really will be alone."

"Merlin, you know me better than that. I spent the majority of my life before you hiding in plain site from the collectors. I need to be with you and that's what I am going to do. I will be in Camelot in three days. I will come in with the caravan."

"Gaius always goes down on the first day his last stop will be the apothecary I will tell him to meet you there at noon. I'll send a potion to camouflage you with the background with Gauis and you can follow him back here."

"Brilliant Merlin, you always did have the brains." He said with a smile.

"No I just can't bear to lose you; my brain has been firing with ideas since I saw you." I replied matching his smile with my own.

"You need to sleep love, I will see you in three days if all goes well."

"I'm afraid that if I sleep now I will wake to find that it was all a dream."

"I promise you I am not a dream love."

"I know you aren't I just miss you so, these next few days will not pass fast enough. I love you Gwaine, so much."

"I love you too Merlin. I love you too."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, my love. I will see you soon."

And just like that the orbs began to fade and soon I felt myself being pulled into a surprisingly peaceful sleep.

…

Three days later I couldn't stop pacing Gaius had gone out to the market and he would be back any minute now. I started to feel dizzy so I sat down and settled for tapping my fingers. I jumped out of my chair when the door opened and Gaius walked in.

I saw him pass the revealer potion to no one and smiled as I watched it move up and in moments Gwaine appeared. With a sob I ran into his arms, our lips locking together as he held me up with his arms.

I broke apart for air first, my head resting in the crook of his neck. "I hate to break the moment but Arthur told me that he would be here at some point today to check on your progress so you should hide in your room." Gaius explained.

Gwaine lifted me off of my feet suddenly and carried me into my room before gently setting me on the bed and going to close the door. "What was that for?" I asked gently.

"Well despite the fact that it was a convenient excuse to hold you, you look like a stiff breeze would take you away. Are you still unable to eat?"

"Yes, and I do try, I try all of the time I just can't keep it down and it is really starting to affect me." I sighed.

"What do you mean?" Gwaine asked sitting next to me.

"I can't do anything, without getting dizzy or tired in a matter of minutes." I explained, my frustration finally coming out in my tears.

Gwaine brushed away my tears lovingly. "Oh my love, it will get better, I'm here now to help you, and you're not alone anymore."

I sat up slowly and kissed him. "I've missed you so much." I sighed, curling into his warm embrace.

"I missed you too love, but I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere." I started to feel very tired, and as my eyes closed I jerked myself awake again. Gwaine's arms tightened slightly .around me, "Go to sleep love, I will be here when you wake up." I nodded slightly before my eyes slid shut again and sleep overtook me.

…

_I heard Gaius talking over me and felt someone touch my forehead and twitched away. I was so warm I tried to get out from under my blankets but it felt like there were a million of them on top of my and I couldn't get them off. I tried to call for help but nothing came out. Where was Gwaine and why was this happening to me, why wasn't he protecting me?_

I jerked awake and away from the hand that was touching me, only to find that it was Gaius. "Merlin Arthur is on his way I need you to take this sleeping draught it will make it look like you are still unconscious and before you ask it won't hurt you or the baby, it can only help you." He explained.

"How long will I be out for? And where is Gwaine?"

"Gwaine is behind the hidden wall you made and the draught will work for about six hours."

I nodded and swallowed the draught in one go, and immediately felt it take effect. I heard Arthur's voice in the background as I faded off into oblivion.

When I woke up again, I found Gwaine lying next to me and I couldn't have been happier. I turned slowly so I wouldn't wake him and just watched him sleep.

Too soon he opened his eyes and smiled. "Hello love, glad to see you're awake."

"I am too, how long did Arthur stay?"

"Not long at all, he really was pathetic looking with his nose that far up in the air. Spoilt little princess hell bent on destroying people's lives he will be a worse king than Uther." Gwaine vented.

"I never used to think that but now I can't help but see it as the truth." I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder as his arms circled around me.

Gaius chose that moment to come in carrying a tray of food for the both of us. I felt my stomach flip at the sight of the food and I sighed internally. We thanked Gaius, and began picking. I found a nice plain biscuit that I thought I could manage and began picking at it. By the time I was done with it, I knew I couldn't eat anymore if I had any chance of keeping the biscuit down. I sighed in frustration and laid back down on my bed with my back to the food.

"Can you not eat more love?" Gwaine asked

"Not if I want to keep the biscuit down. I feel sick enough as it is, I don't want to make it worse."

I heard Gwaine set the tray on the floor before the bed shifted as he gently pulled me into his arms. I felt better in his warm shelter and soon fell back to sleep knowing that I might succeed if I did.

I woke up a few hours late and flew out of Gwaine's arms and over to the chamber pot. I had nothing left in my stomach however so I proceeded to dry heave in agony. I felt Gwaine begin to rub soothing circles on my back and nearly cried with relief _I'm not alone anymore._

When my stomach stopped protesting I leaned back into Gwaine and we just sat there holding each other. Gaius who obviously had not been gifted with the talent of good timing chose to walk in then. With a sad sigh he came over to us and knelt down.

"I wish there was something more that I could do for you Merlin."

"Is there nothing that can be done?" Gwaine asked.

"Not that I can find. What Merlin needs is time and freedom, and I can only give him one of those and it's not freedom."

"I could kill that prat."

"Don't Gwaine, we will get out of here somehow." I chided before pushing myself up and off of the floor. I walked over to my bed and flopped down into it. I felt both of them staring at me but ignored it.

"Are you still tired Merlin?" Gaius asked.

"I am always tired now Gaius."

I heard Gwaine move over to me. I watched as he sat on the bed in front of me and swept a stray hair out of my face. "I wish I could take this away." He murmured softly his pain evident in his voice.

"Don't say that, I want this, I have always wanted children and I thought it was something that I would never have. You have given me a gift; do not let Arthur's anger destroy this for us." I explained, sitting up to face him.

"But you are sick because of it, how is it a gift."

"Everything in life has a price, and if this is a price I must pay to have a child with the man that I love then I will do it. I would do it a hundred times if I had too." I didn't give Gwaine a chance to respond as I pressed my lips against his own in a fiery kiss.

When we broke apart, Gwaine had lost his argument and I smiled sweetly. "Will you always use sex as a way to win arguments?" Gwaine asked with a smile.

"It works doesn't it?" I replied quickly.

Gwaine just laughed and gave me another kiss. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too."

"Glad we got that settled now boys if you don't mind I did actually come to talk to you Merlin." Gaius said pulling up a chair. "It would seem that despite everything he's seen Arthur has gotten suspicious I don't know how much longer we will be able to fake your illness Merlin. That means that you would have to go back to work for Arthur if he commanded it."

"I figured that something like this would happen. Gaius I won't be skinny forever what will I do when I start to show?"

"We have to find some way to hide it. If Arthur found out you would be executed for sorcery."

"Exe…..Gaius that's it!" I cried out happily.

"What's it?" Both Gaius and Gwaine asked at the same time.

"That's a way to get out of here. They burn sorcerers at the stake, when they bring me out for my execution, I can use magic to escape and I can run with Gwaine to the next kingdom."

"And how will you tell Arthur." Gaius asked.

"I won't, you will have to tell the king and act as if you have never known about my magic so that you will not be in trouble." I explained.

"It could work." Gaius stated.

"I don't like it." Gwaine huffed, "What happens when Arthur finds out, he could kill you or the baby, I don't want to risk it."

"Gwaine, what if we used this as our plan if Arthur finds out, and work on other ways of escape."

"I would like that idea much more; I just don't like the fact that we need these plans at all. I hate not being able to protect you."

"I know and I don't like that we need these plans either but we do if we have any chance of being a family."

With a sigh Gwaine nodded his understanding. "I will keep you boys informed on what Arthur is going to do."

We both nodded and called out our goodbyes as he left the room.

I sighed and buried my head in Gwaine's chest, trying to escape into the safe feeling that I got from being in his arms. "I hate this."

Gwaine tightened his arms around me, "I know baby, I know."

I tilted my head and kissed his neck, my hand playing with his hair. Heat began to flood through my body for no reason what so ever, but I wanted it. I pulled back out of his arms and straddled him. I kissed him fiercely and soon our tongues were battling for dominance.

Gwaine rolled and pinned me beneath him causing our groins to rub together. "Gods Gwaine, please make love to me." I pleaded desperately.

I saw Gwaine argue with himself internally so I rolled my hips into his again. "You're the world's biggest tease Merlin." Gwaine groaned.

"No, I can only be a tease if I don't carry through with what I start, and I am begging you to take me, it's been too long, and I need you." I replied rolling my hips again.

I watched Gwaine cave before he kissed me hard,

CONTENT REMOVED TO FIT FANFICTION GUIDELINES TO READ THIS STORY IN IT'S ENTIRETY GO TO ARCHIVE OF OUR OWN PEN NAME Johnlock _ TheWhipHand (no spaces)

I came around first and I ran my fingers through Gwaine's hair.

Gwaine recovered quickly and placed a kiss on my neck. "I've missed you baby." Gwaine crooned. He pulled out quickly, and we rolled onto our sides, face to face with our arms around each other.

"I've missed you too, I love you so much Gwaine." I replied with a kiss.

"We should get dressed, what if Arthur comes by."

"Forget Arthur. I just want to lay here with you for a few minutes and feel like we're back to normal and not trapped in a prison."

"Alright baby." He replied, pulling me close. "I'll do anything for you, anything."

"I know love, I know." I replied, a yawn escaping.

"Sleep love, I'll be here when you wake up."

I nodded, and slowly fell asleep.

I woke up a few hours later in Gwaine's arms and smiled. I kissed his cheek, and he opened his eyes. "Hello beautiful. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Hungry." I said in surprise.

Gwaine smiled brightly. "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised myself."

"Well then we'll just have to have sex more often." He replied with a grin.

"I'm fine with that." I retorted as I got up and pulled on my pants. "You know that I love it when you make me beg." I teased before pulling on my shirt.

Gwaine laughed as he put his own clothes on. "Don't start something you can't finish Merlin."

"Oh I'll finish…after I eat something." I replied with a burning glance at Gwaine. I walked out of my room and over to Gaius. I grabbed an apple and sat down.

"Did I miss something?" Gaius asked confused.

"Apparently having sex makes Merlin hungry."Gwaine explained as he sat behind me, placing a kiss on my neck.

I blushed when Gaius just gaped at me. "Well….whatever works Merlin….I'm just glad you've gotten your appetite back." Gaius choked out.

I blushed a deeper shade of red. "I….I….oh forget it I can't deny it….let's just pretend that Gwaine didn't say anything." I muttered

Both Gwaine and Gaius started laughing. I silenced Gwaine quickly with a kiss. I felt my heart racing as I waited for someone to burst through the door. I pulled back slowly, and our eyes met. "Please don't do that, anybody could hear you and then Arthur would figure out our secret. I can't lose you now."

"I'm sorry love, it won't happen again."

"It can't, or we're both going to be in trouble." I replied seriously, resting my forehead against his.

The moment was broken when my stomach insisted that I keep eating. I could help the chuckle that escaped my lips as I slowly turned back around and finished eating my apple. And for the first time in a month I didn't feel sick.


End file.
